The cards have been shuffled, the hands have been dealt and 24 schools in the Archdiocese of St. Louis have new administrators in place for the 2017-18 academic year.
In all, 27 educators are in new leadership positions, with two high schools — Rosati-Kain High School and Incarnate Word Academy — making changes at both president and principal. However, Rosati-Kain’s new president, Elizabeth Ann Goodwin, has a familiar face; she previously served as principal.
Former Rosati-Kain president Sister Joan Andert, SSND, has moved into an emeritus role, as has former president Cathy Fetter at St. Dominic. Though Sister Joan’s replacement, Goodwin, is the only administrator to stay at a school but switch to a new post, seven other administrators left schools for the same position at schools elsewhere.
Of the seven openings created by those switches, six have been filled. The search is still on to replace Father Ed Nemeth as president of St. Pius X High School; he’s now president of Valle Catholic in Ste. Genevieve.
Four high schools have filled interim roles, and five elementary principals are in the big chair for the first time. In addition, two grade school administrators have joined the archdiocesan Curia: former Holy Cross Academy president Amie Koenen is now the Strategic Planning Coordinator for Parish Administrative Services; and former Our Lady of Lourdes in Washington principal Rick Danzeisen oversees North County elementary schools for the Catholic Education Office.
And there’s a new sheriff in town, at the new school in town: principal Laura Hirschmann at South City Catholic Academy.
New administrators | at a glance
HIGH SCHOOLS • New Presidents
Name School Replacing
David McKenzie Incarnate Word i-Sr. Mary Pezold, CCVI
Elizabeth Ann Goodwin Rosati-Kain e-Sister Joan Andert, SSND
Jim Welby St. Dominic e-Cathy Fetter
(Vacant) St. Pius X Father Edward Nemeth
Father Edward Nemeth Valle Catholic Paul Hinman
e-becomes president-emeritus
i-interim
—
HIGH SCHOOLS • New Principals
Name School Replacing
Maureen Lovette Incarnate Word Molly Grumich
Molly Grumich Nerinx Hall Jane Kosash
Tery McNamee Rosati-Kain Elizabeth Ann Goodwin
Pam Tholen St. Francis Borgia i-Rob Struckhoff
Ian Mulligan St. John Vianney i-Kevin Walsh
Father Ian Gibbons, SJ St. Louis U. High i-Craig Hannick
Bridget Collins Villa Duchesne/Oak Hill Sr. Donna Collins, RSCJ
i-interim
—
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS • New principals
Name School Replacing
f-Joanne Hoorman Christ Prince of Peace Marlise Albert
* Gregory Densberger Holy Cross Academy Amie Koenen
f-Michael Neiman Mary Queen of Peace Amy Schroff
Tammi Rohmann Our Lady of Lourdes Rick Danzeisen
Kim Vangel St. Clare of Assisi Marie Sinnett
Beth Bartolotta St. Francis of Assisi Greg Sturgill
Linda Pahl St. Francis Borgia Michelle Etter
Sr.Mary Sheila Maksim,OP St. Joseph (Cottleville) Sr. Ann Hyacinth Genow, OP
Michael Biggs St. James the Greater Julie Hayes
Greg Sturgill St. Joseph (Manchester) Jeanette Dandino
Amy Schroff St. Justin the Martyr Mary O’Connell
f-Denise Brickler St. Patrick (Wentzville) Diana Kramer
f-Kelly Kaimann St. Paul (St. Paul) Maureen Lovette
Julie Hayes St. Raphael the Archangel Kim Vangel
Laura Hirschman South City Catholic Academy (new school)
f-Donald Fingers s-The Academy at St. Sabina Jay Persinger
f-first-year principal
s-special education school
* president of Holy Cross Academy school system, which is comprised of elementary school campuses at Our Lady of Providence, St. Dominic Savio and St. Michael the Archangel parishes and a middle-school campus at Annunciation Parish
Source: Archdiocesan Catholic Education Office
